A highly levered money-mover First Data to go public – “Will the offer be sexy enough for investors?”

KKR & Co. LP; Market Cap (as of 03/10/2015): $7.85bn First Data Corporation; Market Cap (as of 03/10/2015): N.A.   Introduction On October 1st, 2015 the KKR-owned payment-processing company, First Data, announced the launch of its initial public offering, aiming to raise about $3.7bn. Apart from being the biggest US Read more…

Trouble Flows Downstream: Energy Transfer Equity Follows Consolidation Trend

Williiams (WMB); market cap (as of 02/10/15): $27.63bn Energy Transfer Equity (ETE); market cap (as of 02/10/15): $21.96bn   Introduction On Monday September 28, Energy Transfer Equity (ETE) announced to acquire its rival The Williams Company Inc. (WMB) for c. $37.7bn (assuming $4.6bn of Williams’ debt). This transaction happened in Read more…

Teva Pharmaceuticals Heading to the Emerging Markets

Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd. (TEVA); market cap (as of 02/10/2015): $51.05bn.   Introduction Following a wave of consolidation in the healthcare industry, Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd. and Representaciones e Investigaciones Médicas, S.A. de C.V. (Rimsa) announced on October 1 that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Teva Read more…

The Volkswagen Scandal: A New Beginning for the Automotive Industry?

Volkswagen AG; market cap (as of 25/09/15): €55.0bn   Small Software, Big Turmoil Volkswagen, the second largest carmaker in the world, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany, is in the middle of one of the largest automotive scandals to date. The company was discovered cheating on the emission tests by installing software Read more…

The new behemoth in the semiconductor industry: Avago to buy Broadcom

Avago Technologies Limited (AVGO): market cap (as of 25/09/2015): $34.2bn. Broadcom Corp. (BRCM): market cap (as of 25/09/2015): $31.4bn. Introduction Following a wave of consolidation in the semiconductor industry, which culminated last March with the NPX/Freescale $11.8bn deal, on May 27, Avago Technologies Limited and Broadcom Corporation announced that they have entered Read more…

“Wanna Play Big: Scale Up!” – Starwood Waypoint Residential Trust to Acquire Colony American Homes

Starwood Waypoint Residential Trust; market cap (as of 26/09/2015): $953.73m Colony American Homes; market cap (as of 26/09/2015): N.A. Introduction On September 21 Starwood Waypoint Residential Trust (NYSE: SWAY) and Colony American Homes (CAH), two of the largest U.S. single-family home landlords, agreed on the merger in an all-stock deal Read more…

Want a robust quality drug pipeline? – Pay super premium!: Alexion to acquire Synageva in an $8.4bn deal

Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc.; market cap (as of 09/05/2015): $32.54bn Synageva Biopharma Corp.; market cap (as of 09/05/2015): $7.91bn   Introduction On May 6, 2015, Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:ALXN), the manufacturer of the world’s single most expensive prescription drug Soliris, and Synageva BioPharma Corp. (NASDAQ:GEVA) have entered into a definitive agreement Read more…

Is time up for Universal Banks? Deutsche Bank – Postbank case

Introduction As the financial system stabilises after the recent crisis, three distinct business models are emerging. First, focused retail institutions with a specific offering of products and services, such as American regional banks and Europe’s savings banks. Second, investment banks which also operate asset management businesses and private equity investments. Read more…

Capitan Findus docks at an American berth: Nomad Holdings buys Iglo Foods from Private Equity Permira

Nomad Holdings Ltd.; market cap (as of 01/05/2015): $576.72m Introduction On April 20, 2015 Nomad Holdings Limited (LSE: NHL), a special purpose acquisition vehicle, announced an agreement to acquire for €2.6bn, Iglo Foods Holdings Limited (Iglo Foods), from a company backed by the private equity group Permira. The acquisition would Read more…